Social Media Outcry Forces Police Action After Goregaon Harassment
In a disturbing incident that highlights continuing concerns about women's safety in Mumbai, a 22-year-old woman took to social media platform X to describe her traumatic experience of sexual harassment on a Goregaon flyover and the subsequent failure of police emergency helplines to respond. The post, which went viral, ultimately compelled the Goregaon Police to register a case of molestation against an unidentified perpetrator on Friday.
The Harrowing Incident on Goregaon Flyover
The victim recounted that the incident occurred around 9:43 PM on Wednesday while she was walking across the flyover near Radisson Hotel in Goregaon West. She was speaking on her phone but remained "hyper alert about my surroundings" throughout her walk. According to her detailed X post, a man suddenly approached her from behind, groped her inappropriately and aggressively, then fled across the bridge, weaving through passing vehicles.
The woman described being in shock for 10-20 seconds after the assault but noted that she was "loudly screaming the whole time." What added to her trauma was the complete absence of assistance from bystanders. "Not out of basic human decency did a single person on the road choose to help," she wrote in her emotional account.
Police Helpline Failure Adds to Trauma
Following the assault, the woman's immediate instinct was to contact the police, but this led to further disappointment. She revealed that not a single emergency helpline number answered her calls, including numbers specifically designated for women's safety and the general police helpline.
Her post expressed deep frustration with the system: "In a city like Mumbai, where it's supposed to be safer than other cities, in the middle of the road among hundreds of people, a man had the audacity to grope and traumatise a girl. And there's absolutely nothing anybody can do about it."
Police Response and Investigation
Following the social media attention, the Goregaon Police contacted the victim through social media and recorded her formal statement. Authorities have registered a case of molestation against an unidentified perpetrator and have launched an investigation.
Investigators are currently examining CCTV footage from the area in an effort to identify the accused. The police response, while delayed, demonstrates the growing influence of social media in prompting official action in cases that might otherwise go unaddressed.
This incident raises serious questions about the effectiveness of emergency response systems and public responsiveness to women in distress, even in a metropolitan city like Mumbai that prides itself on relative safety compared to other Indian cities.
